1. **State the problem:** Calculate the value of the expression $5 - 3$. 2. **Formula and rules:** Subtraction is the operation of finding the difference between two numbers. The formula is simply $a - b$, where $a$ and $b$ are numbers. 3. **Intermediate work:** $$5 - 3 = 2$$ 4. **Explanation:** Subtracting 3 from 5 means you take away 3 units from 5 units, leaving 2 units. 5. **Final answer:** The result of $5 - 3$ is $2$.